Rail tie.



D. M. FAHNESTOCK.

RAIL TIE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-4.1M?)- Patented June 20, 1916.

HTNESSES .EVAZZ THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. wasumu'roN, n. c.

PE FT RAIL-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1916..

Application filed November 4, 1915. Serial No. 59,674.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, DAVID M. FAHNE- STOCK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inRail-Ties; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to improvement in rail-ties or fasteners of thekind in which chairs or supports for the rails are permanently united bya tie-member, and with which improved clamping means are used to clampthe rail in position within the chairs or supports.

The object of the invention is to greatly simplify the construction andrender it more economical, and to facilitate the securing of the rail sothat the same may be done by practically unskilled labor.

With these objects in view, the invention consists, generally stated, inthe construction and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment ofwhich is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa View of the rail-tie and fastener in elevation with the rail shown insection fastened thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the part shown inFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig; 1; Fig. 4 is afragmentary section through the railchair and rail showing the manner inwhich the fastener member is inserted; and Fig. 5 is a perspective Viewof the fastener member or clamp.

In the embodiment of the invention herein selected for illustration, 1illustrates a rail-tie having the flanges 2 and an upstanding web 3, theupper edge of which is enlarged at 1 and shaped as shown in Fig. 3 toform a catch for the'outer ends of the clamping members, as hereinafterdescribed.

The rail-tie is preferably made of cast steel to insure rigidity of theroad bed. Cast integrally with the ends of the tie are chairs consistingof flanges 5 extending at right angles to the flanges 1, the upstandingwebs 6 and the horizontal webs 7 at the outer edges of which are theupstanding abutting flanges 8 having the overhanging lips 9 adapted toengage the outer flange 10 of the rail 11. It will be noted that'theupstanding web 3 of the rail-tie is extended at 12 out beyond the chairsor supports for the rail, and forms a rigid reinforcement or support forthe outer web and flange of the chairs. The inner portion of therail-supporting web 7 is slotted as at 13 for a distance inward from theends of the chair. These slots are separated by a solid portion 14: ofthe horizontal web 7; The outer ends of the slots are widened as at 15and the edge of the web is provided with a flange as at 16, Fig. 1,reduced in thickness at as 17 at the outer ends of the slots, and havingits top cut away also adjacent the point 17 to reduce the height of theflange. With these chairs or supports is employed a clamping member 18,Fig, 5, having an upstanding end 19 and an overhanging lip 20 adapted toengage over the edge of the rail flange 10. The shank of the fastenermember is extended to the rear from the head 19 as at 21 for a shortdistance, and then is turned laterally as at 22, and terminates in ahook or latch 23.

The portions 21 and 22 may be resilient for the purpose hereafterdescribed. The portion of the slots 13 at their inner ends, as at 24, isof a width equal to or less than the thickness of the upstanding head 19of the fastener member so that the clamping member may be inserted inthe wider outer portions 15 of the slot 13, as indicated in Fig. 4?, andmay then be dropped to a position with the head 19 extending verticallywithin the slot. When the fastening member is in this position in theouter end of the slot 13, the spring-shank 22 of the member will lieadjacent the top edge of the upstanding web 3 of the tie-member. Theclamping member is then forced into the narrower portion of the slot 13by the blows of a hammer or like, and, at the same time, thelatch-shaped shank 22 of the member is sprung over the top of theupstanding web 3 and engages orlatches thereover as shown in Fig. 3.Thus the overlying lip 20 of the clamping member is pressed down uponthe edge of the rail flange, and the entire clamping device is securelyand resiliently held against dislodgment by vibration.

While I have herein described a particu lar embodiment of my invention,it is to be understood that the same may be altered in details andarrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for What I claim is: V

1. A rail fastener comprising a tie-memher having rail-chairsor supportsat either end thereof, said supports having means to engage the outerflange of the rail, saidsupports being provided With slots, clampingmembers having portions adapted to engage Within said slots and over theinner flange of therail, said clamping members also having portionsadapted to be sprung over the tie portion to hold said clamping membersin clamping position.

2. A rail fastener'comprising a tie-member having rail-chairs orsupports at either end thereof, said supports having abutting flanges attheir outer edges to engage the outer flanges of the rails, saidsupports having slots at their inner edges, said slots at ber havingrail-supportsor chairs east integral therewlth, said supports havingabutments for the outer edges of the rails, having means to engage aclamping member to hold its clamping portion over the inner flanges ofthe rails, said clamping members each having a resilient tail-pieceadapted to engage over the tie portion of the fastener to hold theclamping members securely in clamping position.

4. A rail fastener comprising a tie-member having rail-supports orchairs cast integral therewith, said supports having means to engage theouter flanges of the rail, the inner edges of said supports beingslotted, clamping members each comprising a clamping head adapted toextend through one of said slots, a lip to engage the inner flange ofthe rail, a shank adapted to engage beneath the outer edge of theslotted portion of the support, and a. resilient tail-piece extending atright angles to said head and adapted to be sprung over and latched tothe tie-portion of the fastener.

In testimony whereof, I, the said DAVID M. FAnNns'rocK, have hereuntoset my hand.

Row. K. Rnnonn, CHAs. V. McKnnnY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of l'atents, Washington,1). G.

